United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Women's Basketball - Martinelli Becomes All-Time Leading Scorer

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(1/27/10)--Senior Melissa Martinelli became the Bears all-time leading scorer as she finished with a team-high 17 points in a 62-48 loss to MIT in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game.

Martinelli broke the scoring mark in the closing seconds on a driving layup in the lane with 22 ticks on the clock to give her 1,642 points passing former teammate Natalie Moyer (‘08), who held the scoring record with 1,640 points. Martinelli also grabbed 14 rebounds while freshman Karli Collins had career highs with 14 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.

Freshman Anna Merrifield led all scorers with 20 points including four of six from 3-point range to lead MIT.

MIT (4-13, 2-9) led 11-6 with 11:35 left in the first half before using a 15-3 spurt to take its largest lead of the half, 29-6 with 2:12 left in the half. The Engineers led 30-18 at the break.

The Engineers maintained a double digit lead throughout the second half, leading by as many at 18 at 44-26 with 9:12 left in the game.

Merrifield finished eight of 12 from the floor and had a team-high six rebounds to lead the Engineers while senior Sally Simpson, freshman Aparna Sud and junior Kristen Whaley added 10 points each for the Engineers, who shot 42.9 percent from the field (21-49) while making four of 10 from 3-point range. Freshman Lauren Sascha Burton had a game-high seven assists for MIT.

Coast Guard (4-11, 3-8), shot 42 percent from the floor (21-50) and made two of four from behind the arc. The Bears, who have dropped seven straight, outrebounded MIT 45-23, but Coast Guard turned the ball over 33 times in the loss.